Association for Behavioral Healthcare

Today we celebrate Juneteenth – Freedom Day – but we acknowledge there is still a lot of work to be done to achieve .

ICYMI – Gallup and West Health recently released a poll that shows most Americans (75%!) have a negative view of how U.S. health systems treat mental health issues. All the more reason to invest in local services like community mental health clinics.

ABH is pleased to announce our Board Officers for the 2024-2026 term. Chair Lesli Suggs of The Home for Little Wanderers; Vice Chair Daurice Cox of Bay State Community Services; Treasurer Emily Stewart of Casa Esperanza; and Clerk Gary Houle of North Charles. The Home for Little Wanderers, Bay State Community Services

Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) has launched a public dashboard to track the capacity and diversity of the health and human services workforce in the Commonwealth. ABH partnered with CHIA to survey our membership for the behavioral health data. CHIA’s goal is for the data to be used to inform policies and programs. Here’s the link: https://ow.ly/4grW50S0lIh

The ABH team joined colleagues from around the country this week to advocate for behavioral healthcare at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s annual Hill Day. Thank you to our Massachusetts delegation for taking the time to meet and listen to our concerns. National Council for Mental Wellbeing, BAMSI, Behavioral Health Network, Inc., Clinical and Support Options, High Point Treatment Center, River Valley Counseling Center, Seven Hills Foundation

National Council for Mental Wellbeing President and CEO Charles Ingoglia kicks off this year’s Hill Day seeking support from Congress for improved access to behavioral healthcare and help building the behavioral health workforce. Learn more: https://hillday2024.eventscribe.net/. National Council for Mental Wellbeing, BAMSI, Behavioral Health Network, Inc., Clinical and Support Options, High Point Treatment Center, River Valley Counseling Center, Seven Hills Foundation

Good luck and thank you to retiring Board of Directors members Marsha Medalie, Christine MacBeth and Andy Pond. Thank you for all you’ve done for behavioral healthcare in the Commonwealth. Riverside Community Care The Brien Center Justice Resource Institute

Here’s a snapshot of mental health in Massachusetts to close out .

Thank you to outgoing Board Chair Ken Bates of Open Sky Community Services for your work and leadership over the last two years.

ABH President and CEO Lydia Conley was quoted in the Healey-Driscoll Administration's announcement this week about funding directed toward youth mental health services: “As the data show, many children and adults do not need to go to hospital emergency departments for help. CBHCs can help them in a comfortable community location or even in their own home.” Gov. Healey visited ABH member Child & Family Services, Inc. https://ow.ly/vbwy50RT6m5

www.statehousenews.com

We have come a long way in terms of recognizing that behavioral health care is health care. The people of Massachusetts deserve a system that can meet their needs and promote stability and wellness. Support H.2006/S.760

Thank you for your support and kind words.

It was great to see so many of our members this week at our Annual Business Meeting. Thanks to Mass. HPC Executive Director David Seltz, who acknowledged ABH for sharing vacancy data and spoke about the need to invest more in behavioral healthcare.

If you are worried about your mental health or are worried about someone you know, there are resources and people out there who are willing to help, no matter what your situation is. 24/7 support is available in Massachusetts by calling or texting 833-773-2445.

Today is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day and another chance to advocate for adequate funding for children’s behavioral health services. No child or family should have to wait months to begin services. Our recent issue brief lays out the crisis; read it here: https://ow.ly/UtA150Rr4PA

Data from SAMHSA shows that 1 in 6 youth in the U.S. ages 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year. In Massachusetts, 66,000 children ages 12-17 have depression. If a young person in your life is going through a tough time, remind them that there’s help and hope. The Mass. Behavioral Health Line can locate a provider near you: 833-773-2445 SAMHSA

A reminder to members: Have you registered for our annual meeting on May 14 at the Westin Waltham? Registration closes soon, so save your seat today:

https://abh.memberclicks.net/annualmeeting2024 #!/

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it is important to remember that you are not alone. that 23% of adults in the U.S. experience mental illness, but only half receive treatment for it? Check out this great infographic from NAMI It’s OK to ask for help.
https://ow.ly/qUQL50Rr37I

Can't believe it has been 10 years! In 2014, ABH secured passage of landmark legislation mandating that MassHealth and commercial insurers cover both Acute Treatment Services for detox (ATS) and Clinical Stabilization Services for detox step-down (CSS); Chapter 258 of the Acts of 2014.

ABH Members: Please join us at our Annual Meeting on May 14 in Waltham. We'll hear from featured speaker David Seltz, Executive Director of the Mass. Health Policy Commission, an independent state agency charged with monitoring health care costs and providing data-driven policy recommendations aimed at improving health care and lowering costs. Register today: https://abh.memberclicks.net/annualmeeting2024 #!/

Congratulations to Riverside Community Care CEO Marsha Medalie, an ABH board member, who was honored today at with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, presented by President & CEO Chuck Ingoglia. Several of Marsha's Riverside colleagues and our president & CEO Lydia Conley were on hand as she was recognized for her tireless efforts and commitment to improving the lives of those living with mental health and substance use challenges.

The 988 Lifeline offers American Sign Language services for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Visit 988lifeline.org and select “ASL Now.”

Did You Know: There are 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, but there are 400+ licensed mental health clinics in the state? They are vital to providing equitable, quality care to hundreds of thousands of residents throughout the Commonwealth. April is

Food for thought: The Health Policy Commission noted in its 2023 Health Care Cost Trend Recommendations that, “Better management of behavioral health conditions has also been found to lower overall health care spending and improve quality of life.”

We already knew that alcohol consumption rose during the pandemic. Now, recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on deaths from excessive drinking shows that rates among women are climbing faster than they are among men. Overall, alcohol is among the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. Here's a fact sheet: https://ow.ly/eltM50R7MTk

Drinking too much alcohol can harm your health. Learn the facts | CDC Excessive alcohol use can lead to increased risk of health problems such as injuries, violence, liver diseases, and cancer.The CDC Alcohol Program works to strengthen the scientific foundation for preventing excessive alcohol use.

We're looking forward to it.

At , we're convening national thought leaders and policy experts who are moving health care policy forward, with representation from federal agencies like SAMHSA, the CDC, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Don't miss out–register today: https://bit.ly/4cCOvbe

Did you know: You can call or text the state’s behavioral health helpline – 833-773-2445 – for yourself or a loved one, 24/7. It is answered by trained clinical providers and peer coaches to talk with callers and, when appropriate, connect them to the nearest CBHC or crisis team.

At ABH, we have been dedicated to our core values for more than 30 years, promoting and advocating for increased access community-based mental health and substance use treatment services in Massachusetts.

Community mental health clinics provide access to multidisciplinary teams that include psychiatrists and other clinicians. They establish referral systems and coordination with medical care providers, often providing case management, care coordination and recovery services. In short, these clinics are the foundation of behavioral health services in Mass. and should be funded as such.